Everything fans need to know ahead of NSL 2025 squad announcements

Netball fans are eagerly awaiting Wednesday’s news of which NSL stars will make up the eight NSL squads for the 2025 season. In the meantime, we’ve wrapped up all of the off-season updates that you need to know ahead of a bumper day of NSL news.

What do we know so far?

Earlier in the 2024 season, Maverick’s stalwart Georgia Lees announced her retirement from netball. Having returned to the club as an Additional Training Partner last season, Lees was named as vice-captain for the 2024 season and has showcased her ability as one of the best Wing Attacks in the NSL.

Speaking about her decision to hang up her dress at the end of the season, Lees explained that it felt like the right time, expressing her gratitude to Mavericks and the fans for what they have given her throughout her career.

“It feels like the right time for me personally and I’m really looking forward to the next chapter. Next year is going to be a great year for netball with NSL 2.0, but being able to juggle my current job, with the increased commitment was just becoming a bit too hard to manage. It was a terribly hard decision to make, but this feels like the right time.

“Mavericks have been a huge part of my netball journey. I started here at age-group level and then returned at NSL level six years ago.

After four years in the Netball Super League, Lily-May Catling also announced her retirement from netball.

Signing for Wasps in 2021 before transferring to Team Bath, Catling has had an impressive netball career, making 49 appearances in total.

Announcing her retirement on X, Catling said:

“Some might say I haven’t had the career that denotes a retirement post, but I am so proud of my four years and 49 caps in the Super League. There are simply not enough words to thank the army of people it took to get me where I am.

“But I hope throughout my career I’ve shown you how important you are to me.”

Also announcing her retirement just a few weeks ago was NSL legend and Welsh Feathers captain Nia Jones. After a remarkable career which saw her make over 100 NSL appearances, Jones announced her retirement on her Instagram.

“I have been blessed to work with a wide range of people over the years, all of whom have taught me invaluable things about netball and about leadership. I have learnt most of what I know about life from my netball experiences, and I firmly believe I wouldn’t be where I am today without their guidance and feedback.”

She added: “The beauty of sport is that athletes invest all this time and energy, with no real guarantee of it ever paying off or us ever fulfilling our dreams, but honestly mine were exceeded.”

Jones, who in round two of the 2024 season marked a milestone 100 NSL appearances, has played for three clubs across her NSL career and has been a leading figure both on and off the court throughout.

After an exceptional fifteen season career and four Super League titles, Manchester Thunder announced the official retirement of Kerry Almond at the end of the 2024 season.

Although Almond initially announced her retirement in 2019, this was short lived as she was swiftly drafted back in due to the late withdrawal of Loreen Ngwira ahead of the 2021 season. With her passion for and commitment to Thunder, Almond then continued to bolster the defensive unit for a further four seasons.

Despite facing challenges this 2024 season due to injury, Almond still left her mark on court, helping Thunder finish the regular season top of the table, six points clear of second-place Loughborough Lightning, and then appearing in the key moments of the 2024 Grand Final.

She said: “I am truly grateful for every single second with this special club, and I cannot wait to support the team and whatever awaits them in NSL 2025 and beyond.”

Meanwhile, after a spectacular six seasons in the Netball Super League (NSL), Loughborough Lightning’s star shooter Mary Cholhok announced she is heading to the Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) league in Australia, where she has signed a multi-year deal with the Queensland Firebirds.

During her time in the NSL, Cholhok became a lynchpin of her Lightning side, always reliable under the post and causing constant headaches for goal keepers across the League thanks to her outstanding, athleticism, accuracy and volume.

She topped the Gilbert top scorer leaderboard consistently throughout the 2024 season, from round one through to the Grand Final, and it is an award she has won a remarkable four times throughout her six years in the NSL.

Reflecting on her time in the NSL, Cholhok said: “Having been in the Grand Final four times is amazing… I’ll miss this place because it made me who I am and I’m grateful for the opportunity… It just feels like I’ve held a lot of Grace whilst I was here, and I cannot forget the confidence that has installed in me.”

Shortly after Mary’s announcement, Imogen Allison also shared the news that she would be joining the Queensland Firebirds in the SSN.

Making her debut for the Yorkshire Jets in 2015, the West Yorkshire born athlete then moved to Team Bath in 2016, becoming a stalwart for the South West side, where she stayed for an impressive eight seasons, honing her craft and helping Team Bath to reach their first NSL Grand Final since 2013, in the 2021 season.

Allison made the move to play for Manchester Thunder in the 2024 season, with Head Coach Karen Greig commenting on her contribution to the team saying: “Whilst only having worked for a short period of time as her coach, Imo grew as a player and really fitted into the Thunder way and brand of playing. I’m proud that we have been a part of her journey to reaching her ambition of playing in the SSN and wish her all the luck in the world at her new club, Firebirds, who are very lucky to gain her signature.”

During the 2024 off-season, some NSL athletes have also announced that they will be stepping away from the League for varying reasons and lengths of time. Severn Stars’ Ella Powell-Davies announced that she would be taking a break from both domestic and international netball to focus on her teaching career. Meanwhile, Severn Stars’ Rebecca Airey has chosen to step away from the sport to allow her body time to rest and recover after a series of concussions and Surrey Storm’s Rachel Fee is taking a break to travel the world.

Where can I follow the action on Wednesday

Now that you’re up to date on all the early announcements, read on below to make sure you know exactly how to watch and follow along as each NSL Club announces their 2025 squad on Wednesday 4 September.

All eight squads will be revealed across one day on Wednesday 4 September. Each Club will have a one hour window to reveal their squad, and during this window a Club spokesperson will feature in a live interview on Sky Sports News.

Across the day, Clubs, supported by the NSL, Sky Sports and wider news outlets, will build excitement, share stories and reveal their exciting new line ups ahead of the 2025 season. With two new teams in the fold for 2025 and every player up for grabs, make sure you’re tuned into Sky Sports News and following @SkySports and the @NetballSL on X,  Instagram and TikTok  and subscribed to our newsletter.  

For specific club news, be sure to be across all eight of our teams on their respective social media accounts.  

We will also be covering each signing in full on our website, offering hourly round-ups and key transfer information. Don’t miss out!  

Image: Ben Lumley

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